When Christmas and Hanukkah Meet: Apricot, Chocolate, Walnut Rugelach

As my family begins preparations for the Christmas holiday, my Jewish friends are celebrating Hanukkah. For years, my Catholic holiday traditions were shared with Jewish friends. It all started when I was a little girl growing up in Guatemala City.

One day, I rode the school bus and overheard the girl sitting behind me say that she could point to the house where Santa Claus lived. Of course, I was intrigued, as were all the other children. To my surprise, she pointed to my great-grandfather Alek’s house. I waited till we got off at our bus stop to ask her why she thought Santa lived there.

My abuelito Alek, as I called him, was perhaps my favorite person in the whole world. He hailed from Yugoslavia, had a thick Slavic accent, blue eyes, and the most beautiful white beard you’ve ever seen. One of my favorite things to do when I was little was to sit on his lap. I would comb through his beard while he told me stories of his life in Europe and of the escape from his war-torn home, as a stowaway, hidden in a barrel of apples.

It turns out that before my friend moved next door to my house, she had lived right next door to his home. Every Christmas morning my abuelito would visit his young Jewish neighbors and surprise them with candy and fruit. Of course, she thought he was Santa Claus.

I told her that he was my great-grandfather. She told her parents that she had met Santa Claus’ granddaughter.

That was it. We became instant friends, and so did our parents. It wasn’t until years later that she figured it all out. I spent many Shabbat dinners at their grandmother’s house, where I learned to bless the bread and the light; and I joined them at Maccabi School as often as they joined me to sing at the choir during Sunday Mass. And every Christmas Eve, they came to my home, where we shared a meal around our family table, opened gifts, and lit fireworks.

I feel blessed to have grown up without divisions based on religion. Friends were family—period. It is in their honor, that I still incorporate rugelach in my holiday celebrations today.

Apricot, Chocolate, and Walnut Rugelach

There are two ways to roll these cookies and I give you instructions for both.

For the dough:

1¾ cups all-purpose flour (plus more for rolling)

2 tablespoons granulated white sugar

Pinch of sea salt

8 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

½ cup sour cream

For the filling:

⅓ cup granulated white sugar

⅓cup brown sugar (not packed)

2 tablespoons quality cocoa powder

1 cup finely chopped pecans

1 cup finely chopped dried apricots

¼ cup cocoa nibs (optional)

Egg wash made with one egg yolk and 2 tablespoons heavy cream

Sparkling sugar (optional)

Make the dough at least 8 hours before you intend to use it. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the butter, cream cheese, sour cream, flour, sugar, and salt. Pulse until the dough comes together (this dough is very sticky). Divide the dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least 8 hours (or overnight). In a small bowl, stir together the sugars and cocoa powder; set aside. Line two half-sheet pans with parchment paper; set aside. Remove half of the dough from the refrigerator.

Rolling, filling, and shaping method#1: On a well-floured surface, and with a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough into a 9x 12-inch rectangle about 1/8 inch thick.(trim the edges with a knife and re-roll the scraps together; these will make your third batch).

Rolling, filling, and shaping method #2: On a well-floured surface, and with a floured rolling pin, roll out half of the dough into a 14-inch circle. Sprinkle with half of the cocoa mixture, half of the pecans, half of the apricots, and half of the cocoa nibs. Using a sharp

knife cut out 12 equal wedges (like a pizza). Roll each wedge, starting at the widest part, towards the tip until you form a crescent. Place them on the prepared pans; chill for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Brush the chilled rugelach with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar (if using). Bake the rugelach for 20-25 minutes or until they are golden. Cool on pans for 5 minutes; transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.

Note: Clean your counter and repeat with the other dough, clearing the counter each time, to make sure the dough is rolled on a clean surface.

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Welcome

Sandra A. Gutierrez is a nationally recognized food personality, cookbook author, freelance food writer, and cooking instructor. Her articles and recipes have been published in newspapers and magazines around the world. To find out more click here.

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